Moms are spending more time than ever in their cars. The latest numbers suggest that moms spend an average of two hours each day driving with kids to and from school, stores and activities. That’s why it’s more important than ever to talk about car seat safety.

From the first ride home from the hospital, car seats are vital to child safety. This week, from September 15 – 21, BRITAX is urging parents to ensure proper car seat use and installation. Child Passenger Safety Week is an annual nationwide campaign that focuses on increasing awareness of Child Passenger Safety (CPS) issues and aims to provide parents and caregivers with resources and information to better protect children from motor vehicle crash risks. Even if you’ve had your child’s car seat inspected before, it never hurts to have a refresher, especially if they have moved into a new seat.

Check out this great video from BRITAX, featuring safety tips from their expert team of CPS technicians:

You can also join me and Sarah Tilton, BRITAX Child Passenger Safety Advocate for an informative and fun online MommyParty on Wednesday, September 18 at 2 pm EST. Not only will we be sharing important information for all parents, we’ll be giving away a BRITAX car seat of your choice to a lucky winner!

During Child Passenger Safety Week communities will have technicians on hand to provide FREE car seat education and inspections. The week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on September 21 with car seat events across the country, where technicians will offer advice, instruction and safety checks. Visit a Child Car Seat Inspection Station near you. Find stations through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Locator or Safe Kid’s CPS Technician Search tool.

Securing children properly in age and size appropriate child safety seats — in the back seat of the vehicle — is the most effective thing parents and caregivers can do to protect them in the event of a crash. In fact, in motor vehicle crashes, child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants, 54 percent for toddlers (USDOT NHTSA Center for Statistics and Analysis) and 59 percent for children in boosters (Children’s Hospital for Philadelphia).

The best way to protect your precious cargo in the car is to put them in the right seat, at the right time, and use it the right way. I urge you to find an inspection station near you and spread the word to your family and friends.